Re: [mukto-mona] Mercy is an important trait of Muslims

"Prophet: Say I am only a mortal like you"

What's the message here? Do you think religious people were thinking that he was immortal? 

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From: Subimal Chakrabarty <subimal@yahoo.com>
To: "mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com" <mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 6, 2013 7:15 PM
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Mercy is an important trait of Muslims

 

For the sake of argument I want to ask whether there are or were great men who taught us how to behave as an individual or a group. Will they have the same status as the prophet have? I am sure the answer would be in the negative. This means that despite being a common man, such a person is  holy. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 6, 2013, at 9:21 AM, QR <qrahman@netscape.net> wrote:

 

Dear all,

In Mukto-Mona some members sincerely wanted to know why we send prayers/salah upon prophet Muhammad (PBUH). For a non-Muslim, sometime it is difficult to understand without understanding how a religious figure relate to us (Muslims) or what is the status of our last messenger (PBUH). So I am sharing the following information as a follow up to some information given earlier.

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Prophet: Say I am only a

mortal like you

4/13/2013 - Religious - Article Ref: IC1102-4531
By: Javeed Akhter
IslamiCity* -

 

In the following article Javeed Akhter reviews the life of Prophet Muhammad in light of many of the recent incidents that have promoted violence as a response to real or perceived denigration of the Prophet .

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Respond to hate with love.

A reading of Prophet Muhammad's life, and the life of his companions, teaches us how to react to real and perceived insults. Whenever the Prophet was insulted he responded with stoic calm, answered hate with love and hostility with graciousness. He was called names, trash and even thorns were thrown in his path. Enemies would surround him and talk loud to drown him out when he spoke in public. It is reported that the fellow who negotiated the Hudaybia treaty with him would touch his beard in an unwelcome show of familiarity infuriating the Prophet's companions. But for all of the real and perceived insults his response was to remain calm and ask his companions not to get angry. His logic was simple; even the worst offenders could turn around and become friends and even followers. An angry response would be counterproductive.

 

The way to show love for a person you admire is to emulate his behavior and not get emotional and angry to the point of killing someone or getting killed. Those who promote this type of angry response need to go back and read and reflect on the Seerah (Biography) of the Prophet. The strongest among people, he taught, is one who can overcome anger.

 

The near deification of Prophet Muhammad

The visceral reaction some Muslims have to denigration of the Prophet may have to do with how his persona is looked upon by many Muslims. As seen in the yearly Milad-un-Nabi celebrations amongst South Asians, the veneration of the Prophet reaches the level of near deification. He is the perfect man (insane-e-Kamil), sinless and flawless. The sinless part is true but there were minor errors that the Qur'an alludes to as in the Chapter "He Frowned" (Abasa). I have met intelligent, educated folks who with a straight face have stated that Prophet Muhammad is alive and also present (Hazir wa Nazir) and listening to the supplications of his followers. This cult like veneration of Prophet Muhammad that includes periodic viewing of his hair, is exactly the opposite of how he wanted to be remembered. That is why he was so against any depiction of him in art or sculpture. He was fearful of being turned in to a deity. There are no renderings of him but the veneration that is behind the blasphemy laws in several Muslim countries belies his hope to be viewed and followed as a human.

 

Prophet Muhammad human.

One can almost hear the Prophet's protestation as recorded in the Qur'an; "Say: I am only a mortal like you (Qul innama ana basharun mithlukum). My Lord inspireth in me that your God is only One God. And whoever hopeth for the meeting with his Lord, let him do righteous work, and make none share of the worship due unto his Lord." (Qur'an 18:110)

 

The Qur'an repeatedly stresses his mortality; "Muhammad is no more than an Apostle. Apostles before him have passed away. If he dies or is slain, will ye then turn on your heels? And he who turneth on his heels shall not in the least injure Allah. And Allah will soon reward the grateful." (Qur'an 3:144) 

Abu Bakr in his wise and poignant speech at the Prophet's death made this point clear; "O men, If you have been worshipping Muhammad , then know that Muhammad

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Mukto Mona plans for a Grand Darwin Day Celebration: 
Call For Articles:

http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=68

http://mukto-mona.com/banga_blog/?p=585

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"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".
               -Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190

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